Eating when stressed. How to stop?

[eugenius]

My life is one giant ball of stress stress stress. I barely have any fun or positive emotions most of the time.

I have been trying to lose weight for a while now. Somehow I got from 250lbs to 215lbs in the past 6 months. It was more diet than physical exercise, but I tried working out as much as possible.

Because of my new part time job as a lot attendant (loading heavy things and walking around for 8 hours) I am at least keeping the weight at 215 , but because I use food as a drug to make myself feel better I am not losing any more weight, and am at constant risk of gaining it back.

I am not happy with myself. I have severe self confidence issues because of this. I was never exactly skinny, and man was it hard when I was a kid with kids making fun of me and such. It helped make me the mess I am today.

And you know, its not even junk food. Its anything. Whatever we have in the house. The problem is when I feel bad I eat. I know the chemical reasons for why this is happening. The releasing of mood neurotransmitters such as dopamine and etc. Bottom line is, its like any other addiction.

Has anyone else here had a similar problem, and how do you fight it? I can't make my life suck any less, all I can do is deal with it differently somehow.

 

[Brandon777]

I know how I can be helpful! I'll do what my track coach did for me. When I was in a race or at practice he would always say, "RUN FASTER!" So I'll say to you, "EAT LESS!" There ya go. I helped.

 

[Brandon777]

You have to want to quit. Want it at a deeper level. That is a spiritual decision that you need to work out with you and God, because what you're talking about is gluttony. And it's your life, perhaps consider the benefits of quitting some of whatever you're doing that's making you too stressed out.

 

[oldman]

Please read Eph 5:18-21.

18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Often events - stress included - come on us to bring us closer to the LORD. We often react in the natural which isn't correct. This is at least partly what Paul meant in the first part of verse 18 "be not drunk with wine." Getting drunk is a reaction to a stressor in a natural fleshly way very similiar to eating to relieve stress. Others might use sex. The list of ways to react in the natural rather than the spiritual is almost endless. Paul says 'don't react that way'. Instead react to stressors in the spirit and then he gives progressive steps away from the natural/fleshly reaction into a spiritual reaction which is pleasing to GOD that results in being filled with HIS Spirit Who you gives strength and peace.

I suggest next time you are tempted to eat as a reaction to stress,try v19 and 'speak to yourself in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. After doing that for a while you should progress to singing out loud and making melody in your heart - a.k.a. joy should start to flow afresh about then.

Before you know it the stress will lift - you'll be aware of our Fathers presence - whatever was stressing you out will have grown strangely dim in the light of HIS presence.


If I haven't written this clearly please hit me back.

Take care and GOD bless

 

[simplymeganne]

Distract yourself. Replace one bad habit with a good one. Instead of eating, do 20 sit ups, take a quick, brisk, walk. Chew on a carrot, or an apple. You can never eat too many fruits or veggies.

 

[BrittanyJones]

I have the same habit except when I'm bored. When I have nothing to do I'm tempted to eat to fill the void. I've recently lost a good amount of weight last year because of my work but I noticed myself going back into it now and again when I am in between jobs. This time I've decided to pray about it. I trust God wholeheartedly to do what He knows is best for me.

1 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11

The issue hasn't seem to bother me anymore. I'm thrilled about this!

 

[eugenius]

You have to want to quit. Want it at a deeper level. That is a spiritual decision that you need to work out with you and God, because what you're talking about is gluttony. And it's your life, perhaps consider the benefits of quitting some of whatever you're doing that's making you too stressed out.

You know that its most often not something that we do that makes us stressed out, but situations and circumstances over which we have little control. Financial situations, lack of relationships, etc.

I can't stop doing whats making me stressed out because its not something I'm doing. Its something that is happening to me whether I want it or not.

oldman, I understand what you are saying. You are right. I have thought many times about listening to God's word or sermons or etc when feeling this way. I usually come to this website when feeling this way.

Its not just food by the way, I have a double addiction. Food and something else which I am not quite ready to admit, but you can probably guess what it is. I am 26 and don't really have any relationships if you know what I mean. So yea. Food and that other addiction that many young men are struggling with.

I am not going to consider counseling. I don't have the time or money for it. If I did have the time or money I might consider. Time is not even as big a problem in this case as money is. And since financial problems are part of the reason I am stressed out, thats not going to help.

 

[EG]

Hey. I just joined this chat room, and happened to see your thread and figured I'd give it a shot at putting my two cents in. First off, dude I completely understand what you are going through. Those are two common addictions and yet they can be beaten and cured by executing a simple step, and then making a decision. Let me elaborate... Self-Evaluate. That's it! I swear. Figure out just why in the world you do what you do, whether it's overeating, or dong that OTHER thing that you do. Addiction is nothing but a side effect of us wallowing in our own misery and instead of us finding a way to actually solve it and get rid of the problem altogether, we just find a temporary way to "deal" with it, and ignore the consequences until the ticking timebomb blows up in our faces, at which point we would then have to deal with it. Whatever is plaguing you needs to be faced head on in order to provide balance in your life again. You're not happy the way that you are, otherwise, you wouldn't have sought out help here, and you're definitely not too far gone because if you were you wouldn't have sought out help at all. I'm not going to badger you with biblical phrases, and tell you something simple like go to the doctor and he will fix your boo boo. But, I will say that if you self evaluate things in your life, you will start to see things clearly. If addiction was supposed to be something to permanently inhabit our lives, it wouldnt be as harmful or dangerous as it is, and it certainly wouldnt hurt to the core of us. I know this sounds like a sincere Dr. Phil moment, but it's true. Self Evaluate, my friend. Why do you need to eat the way that you do? Depression? Loneliness? Ok, then change things. That is definitely something that we ALL have major issues with. Change things in your life that are becoming your downfall, and replace them with things that lift you up and give you joy. I promise you, when you get fed up with being miserable and lonely, and are so exhausted and tired that you are forced to make a decision between whatever is hurting you, and the preservation of your own happiness, oh! You will Definitely make a decision. This is YOUR life, and we have the luxury of free will. You dont HAVE to do what you are addicted to, so dont. No, it is not that simple Now, but trust that it will be once you take control of your situation. We are not as resilient as we pretend to be, and sooner or later that temporary "fix" is gonna run dry. They're just empty actions, hun. Eating for the heck of it...craving attention physically just to get those few minutes where you can feel you can block out the world and escape...I know how that is. But it's not real..Never will be because it's not supposed to be done that way. Again, I'm no expert, but this helped me through just about every problem that I've ever had, and I swear to you if you really WANT this to work for you...TRUST, it will, but it depends on how bad you want it to. Faith without work is dead, my friend and there's no way to beat anything without a healthy mixture of blood, sweat, and tears...and prayer. As mortal men and women, we suck at trying to lead our own lives with guidance...we try the hardest we can with loopholes, and shortcuts, thinking that we're in control of our own lives when we are really just...wingin' it. We're imperfect, so why not seek guidance from a higher power that actually knows the answer? I dont know where you are religiously, but, a prayer helps far more than it hurts...I hope I helped just a little. I apologize for the long message. Have a good one.

 

[Brandon777]

You know that its most often not something that we do that makes us stressed out, but situations and circumstances over which we have little control. Financial situations, lack of relationships, etc.

I can't stop doing whats making me stressed out because its not something I'm doing. Its something that is happening to me whether I want it or not.

There's a problem with your spiritual outlook if you're not content with whatever God has given to you, to a degree of course. Are you okay with God giving you what He has? I'll say this because when I read it in 1 Timothy and really put it in my heart to practice it what ended up happening was my contentment with my life grew. To pray with thankfulness ceaselessly. Thank God for the situations He puts you in, even if it's bad, because you trust it has a good purpose behind it. We just don't know yet what that purpose is. That's a promise of God. With that attitude, I guarantee you're outlook on life will be more positive and your stress will all but vanish. Cast you're anxieties on the Lord. If you're worried about something you can stop, because you can remind yourself that it's up to God to run the universe right. And trust that He will. And He will put everything in place on Judgement Day.

Praying for you brother.

 

[cloc008]

Hey eugenious well i recently had a similar prob but with( be prepared) smoking weed i used it for everything boredem, anger, sadness problems in life any thing u can think of. Physically i didnt want to stop but my spirit burned with ergency to get right with the father, so i was dealling with trying to stop what i didnt want to stop no matter how much i smoked the relief was getting less and less. I than began reading my word and through my learnings i saw that JESUS spent alot of time praying and meditating, than it hit me, duh i can do all things through christ who strengthens me, i began to relize we deal with many things in the flesh so the only way to over come that would be to leave the flesh and i accomplished this through great prayer and meditation and by the time im done that moment of needing to smoke had past, so next time u feel the need to eat just try to do like our title ( christians) and follow christ for the purpose is to try to be like the son as much as possible and do what he has done pray to escape even the smallest of temptations, thats all i can add good luck.

 

[Katalina]

For me it's self-discipline.

Don't eat when you're not hungry. Ask yourself, Am I hungry? If not, find Something else to do. Brush your teeth, or some other busy work. Another thing is like everyone else has been saying -- it's a spiritual thing.

If ya know that overeating has made you the mess you are now, leading you into sin which leads you to eat which leads you to sin and over and over and over again, then next time you go to refill your plate think about God and what he'd want you to do.

I suppose. But also, be careful of becoming obsessed with weight loss. It shouldn't depress you to be the shape/size you are. You are fearfully and wonderfully made no matter what. Your identity is in Christ, not the mirror.

...And the perfect girl, she'll love you no matter what size you are. I adore the boy I'm seeing and he isn't a supermodel or anything, but he's B-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l.

Your spirit shines through your appearance...and it's always more important.

One thing I used to be better at was nourishing my soul with the bible before my body with food. It's a good discipline and it does help get my mind focused on what's important when I maintain it.

 

[mm]

When stressed and feel like eating, go to the chat lounge and hopefully you'll be distracted from the stress and foods.. Can also get some insights from the people there , well that works for me...

 

[eugenius]

Hey eugenious well i recently had a similar prob but with( be prepared) smoking weed i used it for everything boredem, anger, sadness problems in life any thing u can think of. Physically i didnt want to stop but my spirit burned with ergency to get right with the father, so i was dealling with trying to stop what i didnt want to stop no matter how much i smoked the relief was getting less and less. I than began reading my word and through my learnings i saw that JESUS spent alot of time praying and meditating, than it hit me, duh i can do all things through christ who strengthens me, i began to relize we deal with many things in the flesh so the only way to over come that would be to leave the flesh and i accomplished this through great prayer and meditation and by the time im done that moment of needing to smoke had past, so next time u feel the need to eat just try to do like our title ( christians) and follow christ for the purpose is to try to be like the son as much as possible and do what he has done pray to escape even the smallest of temptations, thats all i can add good luck.

Out of all the people that tried to help me, I think you understand me the most. Its exactly like weed. I am probably prone to addiction, so I should never try pot myself.

Well I have been fighting this lately by going to university and studying there instead of at home, and only taking my lunch box. So I can't go to the fridge, because there isn't one. And the only food on campus costs money, which I don't have. LOL. Seems to be working.